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Chapter 14 – World War I and Its
Aftermath
Section 1 – The Stage is Set
Setting the Scene
By 1914, Europe had enjoyed a
century of relative peace. Many idealists
hoped for a permanent end to the scourge
of war. "The future belongs to peace” said
French economist Frederic Passy
Others were less hopeful. "I shall not
live to see the Great War,” warned German
chancellor Otto von Bismarck, "but you will
see it, and it will start in the east.” It was
Bismarck's prediction, rather than Passy’s,
that came true.
I. The Pursuit of Peace
By the early 1900s, efforts were underway to
end war and promote understanding between
nations
The Nobel Peace Prize Medal
I. The Pursuit of Peace
Organizations struggling for women's suffrage
supported pacifism, or opposition to all war
I. The Pursuit of Peace
1899 - The First Universal Peace Conference
set up the Hague Tribunal, a world court to
settle disputes between nations
COURT OF JUSTICE
THE HAGUE
II. Aggressive Nationalism
Aggressive nationalism was a cause of
international tensions pushing Europe to the
brink of war
II. Aggressive Nationalism
Germany became a military and industrial
power, while the French were bitter about
losing Alsace and Lorraine
The French were especially bitter about their 1871 defeat in the
Franco-Prussian War and the German occupation of the border
provinces of Alsace and Lorraine (the "lost provinces“)
II. Aggressive Nationalism
In 1905 and 1911, competition for colonies
brought France and Germany to the brink of
war
Kaiser Wilhelm II enters Tangiers, Morocco during a state visit,
31st March 1905
II. Aggressive Nationalism
By 1900, German factories were outproducing British ones, creating economic
reasons to oppose Germany in any conflict
German Submarine Factory
II. Aggressive Nationalism
Russia sponsored Pan-Slavism and felt that it
had a duty to lead and defend all Slavs,
especially Serbia
II. Aggressive Nationalism
Austria-Hungary feared that nationalism might
cause rebellion among the minority
populations within its empire
II. Aggressive Nationalism
Ottoman Turkey felt
threatened by new
nations, such as Serbia
and Greece, on its
borders
II. Aggressive Nationalism
1912 and 1913 - Balkan states attacked
Turkey and fought for territory. By 1914, the
Balkans were the "powder keg of Europe"
III. Rivalries Among European Powers
Economic competition and imperialism were
sources of conflict between European nations
III. Rivalries Among European Powers
The rise in militarism – the glorification of the
military – led to an arms race as nations
expanded their armies and navies
IV. A Tangle of Alliances
The great powers signed treaties intended to
create powerful combinations that no one
would dare attack
IV. A Tangle of Alliances
1882 - Germany formed the Triple Alliance
with Austria-Hungary and Italy
IV. A Tangle of Alliances
1914 – During WWI, Germany, Austria
Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire became
the Central Powers
Kaiser Wilhelm II (Germany), Enver Pasha (Ottoman
Empire/Turkey), Emperor Franz Joseph (Austria/Hungary)
“United in the Fight”
IV. A Tangle of Alliances
In 1904 France, Russia, and Britain formed
the Triple Entente, who were the Allies in WWI